PORT NECHES, Texas — More than 48 hours after a plant explosion at the TPC Plant in Port Neches rocked Mid-County, the city that was evacuated is seeing signs of life again.
"There's just something about coming home, we're happy to be home," Port Neches resident Debbie Parker said.
Many families in the neighborhood not even a mile away from the plant saw their homes for the first time Friday, Nov. 29.
With bags in both hands, Port Neches resident Vincent Rivers said he couldn't move his family back in quick enough.
"It was good to be with family for the holidays for the Thanksgiving holidays, but it's unlike being at your own home, where you can invite people to your own home," he said. "It's good to be back and comfortable and get to sleep in a bed again."
Debby Parker says it's been a tough 48 hours.
"It's been challenging to say the least and a little bit unnerving," Parker said.
As these families begin cleaning up and assessing damages to homes, they said one thing is for sure, they've never seen anything like this before, and they never want to again.
"To see my kids' faces when the explosion went off," she said. "And he doesn't know what's going on, and I don't know what to tell him other than 'Put your stuff on, let's go.'
"It's a little frustrating and heart breaking, but we're still here, so it's a blessing."
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